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Category Archives: Sci-Fi

The Moonrover Audi Lunar Quattro celebrates its film debut in Ridley Scott’s sci-fi blockbuster “Alien: Covenant” this week, ahead of its impending mission to the Moon next year.

The Audi lunar Quattro has been developed in cooperation with Berlin-based start-up Part-Time Scientists. Over the past two years, the automobile manufacturer has worked with a team led by Robert Böhme – founder and CEO of Part-Time Scientists – in developing the rover, by supplying all-wheel drive technology, expertise in lightweight construction, experience in developing vehicles with electric and plug-in hybrid motors (e-tron), and with design optimization.

Director Ridley Scott has integrated the Audi lunar quattro into “Alien: Covenant,“ the latest instalment of his ground-breaking “Alien” franchise. In its film debut, the rover is an integral part of the Covenant mission; deployed to help navigate and assess the challenging, unknown terrain of a new planet.

Incorporating the Audi lunar quattro into the film is part of a collaboration between Twentieth Century Fox and Audi – allowing filmmakers to incorporate authentic, leading-edge technology into their futuristic worlds. As part of the collaboration, a short film was also created by Twentieth Century Fox, 3AM and Audi. Captured on one of the movie’s biggest sets, it depicts the rover patrolling the Terraforming Bay when it detects an unidentified lifeform and goes to investigate what lurks in the dark.

Straight away, you can see the reason Hot Toys and Sideshow Collectibles are so sought after. Everything about both companies just shows you that the people who make these wonderful collectibles, are just as a much of a fan as we are.

Everything is squared away so neatly that it’s almost a shame to disturb it. It’s like I want to savour it and not let it be tainted by outside air. It’s very well protected too, and I’ve yet to hear of anyone who purchases a sixth scale figure, receiving it damaged.

The detail is nothing short of incredible. Honestly I cannot believe it. Under the white armour, there’s a faux leather that covers the hips and thighs. You can remove sections of the armour with ease, and replace it just as easily too. The stitching around the shoulder harness is immaculate and really well put together.

The backpack is magnetic and clicks on with ease. No awkward shoving into holes like the G.I. Joe toys of old, which is a nice change. The sculpting on the Stormtrooper is spot on, and it looks exactly like it does in the movies. Everything about the armour is immaculate, and the brilliant white just glisten.

Included with the stormtrooper are a small laser pistol and rifle, plus binoculars. The binoculars can fold away and the rifle has a buttstock that can be altered. There are 3 pairs of hands plus the ones that are on the stormtrooper. They allow you to have clenched fists, hold the guns or binoculars, or just have open palms.

The base has wonderful detail, and two indents where the stormtrooper can place his feet. The plaque is a nice touch too.

I would like to thank the wonderful folks at http://www.sideshowtoy.com for providing me this item to review. It is available to order now with free shipping inside the U.S. To order click on the link below:

“There has been an awakening. Have you felt it?” In terms of quality Star Wars figures from Hot Toys, there really has been an awakening. Straight out of the box you can see how impressive this figure is. Hot Toys have really shown their skill with this Kylo Ren figure. The quality of the clothing is so good, and everything just feels good in the hand.

Included in the box are three pairs of interchangeable hands, two spare pins for the wrists should the others be broken, the stand to sit this beauty on, a spare lightsaber hilt which is attached to one of the hands. The reason the hand is attached to the lightsaber is because the lightsaber lights up, and comes with the three small batteries required to power it up. You will need a small screw driver to remove a cover to insert the batteries, which can be a bit tricky.

When changing the arm with the LED lightsaber, you need to unzip the sleeve, pull the arm out of the socket and then insert the other arm. You can remove the red lightsaber parts from the hilt of the loose lightsaber and attach them to the hilt of the one attached to the arm. The LED lightsaber arm doesn’t offer as much movement as the standard arm, as the wrist joint isn’t as flexible, so you may need to alternate between the arms when posing the figure.

The loose lightsaber hilt can be hooked onto the belt and sits on it quite nicely. The hood can be pulled down should you decide you want to have it that way. The movemen and articulation is second to none. It really is an amazingly designed figure. The belt can’t be removed, nor can the hood, so don’t try as you may damage what is a stunning figure. I would like to take the opportunity to thank the wonderful Jennifer at Sideshow Collectibles for providing this for review, without her help none of these reviews would be possible. You can order your figure now directly via the following link:

Those of you out there that love trashy movies, movies with cyborgs or movies set in post apocalyptic wastelands, then chances are you’ve seen Albert Pyun’s work at least once. My first foray into the work of Albert Pyun was the Jean-Claude Van Damme action movie ‘Cyborg’ back in 1992. I had already been a Van Damme fan at this point, but I loved the whole post apocalyptic setting and after watching it, I set out to find more of Pyun’s work.
My next stop was Dollman starring Tim Thomerson, and also an early role for Jackie Earle Haley. This was a crazy movie, with Thomerson as an intergalactic space cop who crash lands on earth. However whereas he is normal size on his home planet, he is only doll size on Earth. After befriending a woman and her son, Dollman must protect them from an angry gang and other enemies that seek to cause them harm. It was great fun with some good effects. Although I must say the effects have aged badly now that we are in the realms of high end CGI.
After Dollman I found out that Pyun had directed a Captain America movie, which I was very eager to see. At the time I remember really enjoying it, but again now that we have CGI and Chris Evans as Cap, it just doesn’t hold up well to repeated viewings. Albert Pyun does well with limited funds, and this is something that is true with all of his movies. He’s a man who’s creativity seeps forth from every frame, and who’s passion for movies is so infectious, that you can’t help but admire the man. He is inspiring because he adapts to whatever restrictions may be placed on him, which is usually in the form of limited budgets.
Brain Smasher: A Love Story was the next film I stumbled across. Andrew Dice Clay stars as a bouncer who has to protect Teri Hatcher from Shaolin Monks. There’s a bit more to it, but that’s the basic gist of the story. It’s not the best film I’ve ever seen, and to be fair probably not something I would watch again anytime soon. That said it was cheap to buy so I can’t complain too much. Only recently have I stumbled across the Nemesis series. So far I’ve only watched the first one, and I must say I thoroughly enjoyed it. Oliver Gruner stars as a cyborg cop who is tasked by his boss to find and subdue some cyborg terrorists. It’s pretty basic stuff story wise, but the action and stunts are top shelf and I must say that this is my second favourite Pyun movie, just behind Cyborg with Van Damme.
Another Albert Pyun movie I have recently watched is Mean Guns starring Ice T and Christopher Lambert. It’s about a group of villains gathered together in a prison, forced to fight to the death for $10million dollars. It’s got good action, but the dialogue feels very forced, and Ice T isn’t the best actor in the world. He pretty much seems to play the same character in every movie I’ve seen him in.
I’m happy to say that Albert Pyun is still making movies, but health issues have required him to slow his output down just a tad. I do hope we get to see many more of his movies for a long while yet. He really does dig deep and deliver his best effort, even if the end result isn’t always something you’d watch again in a hurry. It’s that kind of willingness to entertain that I find very admirable, and is why he is a director I have a lot of time for. There are still plenty more of Albert Pyun’s movies out there for me to discover, for that I am both thankful and excited.
I’d like to thank 101 Films for the Nemesis boxset and Mean Guns. They are both available to purchase now via https://101-films-store.myshopify.com/

Have you ever been browsing Amazon or Zavvi looking for a movie from your childhood, but you just can’t find it? Or maybe you’ve stumbled across some cult weirdness late one night on Channel 4, and you’re wondering where you can get a copy? Well look no further folks. I am pleased to point you to a site where nearly all your cult pleasures can be found.

Twisted Anger is a site chock full of hard to get movies. There are movies that even I haven’t had the pleasure of seeing on there. Want a DVD of Michael Mann’s ‘The Keep’? Then head on over to http://www.twistedanger.com where you can acquire that and much more, it really is a treasure trove of cult greatness folks.

As you can see in the above picture, even Captain Rex gives this the thumbs up. What a stunning release this is from the very talented folks over at Sideshow Collectibles. The detail is astounding. There were two releases of Captain Rex, with the first release having him in pristine white armour, and not the battle worn armour you can see in the pictures. That said, I have to say I prefer this one. I love the scuffs and scratches all over his armour. I also like the little notches on his wrists that show you how many enemies he has killed.

The notches are also etched onto the base, which also details Captain Rex’s regiment. Captain Rex can be seen in The Clone Wars series. He is voiced by Dee Bradley Baker in the series, but has the likeness of actor Temuera Morrison who played Jango Fett in the movies, well I think so anyway.

The head and helmet are interchangeable, but can be a bit fiddly in places. I struggled to fit the head on securely, but the helmet fits on no problem. When I took the Jetpack out of the packaging I did wonder how on earth it would clip on, as there wasn’t any noticeable bits sticking out. I was very pleasantly surprised to find out that it’s magnetised, and actually clips on very nicely.

You get two pistols which can be holstered on Captain Rex’s waist. You also get a very nice blaster rifle which has an underslung shoulder stock. Also included are two grenades and several pairs of interchangeable hands which really add character to the piece. The artists and sculptors at Sideshow really have produced a fine piece here, which will definitely sit proudly amongst my other sixth scale figures. If you are intersted in this figure and would like you get your own, then pop along to http://www.sideshowtoy.com/collectibles/star-wars-captain-rex-sideshow-collectibles-1002221/, where it is available for a very, very reasonable price. Believe me.

I want to thank the fine folks over at http://www.sideshowtoy.com for their generosity in providing this figure for review. It’s thanks to them that I can bring you these fine items to review. Stay tuned for more great toy reviews.

It’s the year 2127 and Dr. Paul Merchant (Bruce Ramsay) is on a mission. His mission is to undo the mistakes of his ancestors and close shut the gates of hell, which were opened when Phillip L’Merchant (also Bruce Ramsay) created that famous toy box. After the box is given to a rich aristocrat it is used to raise a demon which will control the world. However things go awry and the demon takes on the form of a peasant girl Angelique (Valentina Vargas). Phillip L’Merchant takes the box and runs. Through the centuries Pinhead (Doug Bradley) has tracked and killed the Merchant bloodline, looking for the box.

Dr. Paul Merchant is telling the marines on the space station about his mission, and what needs to be done. He tells them that for so long his bloodline have tried and failed to close the gates. Now Pinhead and his new cenobites have been unleashed in space, but all is not lost. Now Dr. Paul Merchant has Pinhead where he wants him, and the trap has been set.

This movie was plagued with problems during production. The director is listed as Alan Smithee but was actuall Kevin Yagher who worked on some of the Nightmare on Elm Street movies. The studio butchered the movie in his opinion, so he asked to be credited as Alan Smithee which is a pseudonym directors take when the don’t want to be credited with something they see as not being their vision.

That being said, I really like this movie. Sure the script is wooden in places, but the space setting really lends itself to the Hellraiser mythos and there is some great gore. Doug Bradley is still great as the villainous Pinhead, and really delivers each line with relish. I don’t agree with all the hate this movie gets and I think if you like the Hellraiser movies and you’ve never seen it, then it’s well worth a watch.

Dr. Edward Pretorius (Ted Sorel) and Dr. Crawford Tillinghast (Jeffrey Combs) are researching the effect that a resonator has on the pineal gland. They believe that stimulating the gland lets people see a reality beyond our own that is otherwise invisible to the naked eye. Crawford activates the resonator and begins to see strange creatures floating around him. When he is bitten by one of these creatures, he tells Dr. Pretorius to turn the machine off. Dr. Pretorius refuses, telling Crawford that it’s giving him a feeling like no other.

Crawford flees the laboratory and is stopped by the police. When the police find Dr. Pretorius dead, they charge Crawford with his murder. Crawford is committed to a mental asylum where he is then interviewed by Dr. Katherine McMichaels (Barbara Crampton). Crawford tells Dr. McMichaels about what happened in the laboratory. Together with a detective Bubba Brownlee (Ken Foree), the three go back to the laboratory to find out what really happened to Dr. Pretorius.

Directed by Stuart Gordon (Re-Animator), and based on a story by H.P. Lovecraft, this is one crazy film. It is packed to the rafters of gory and gloopy practical effects. The script and acting are a tad wobbly at times, but it adds to the overall charm and ‘B-Movie’ feel to the film. Jeffrey Combs is always good value for money. He always delivers a solid performance, no matter what the overall film is like. Ted Sorel plays the part of the perverse Dr. Pretorius brilliantly. His transformation into the hideous monster is great, and he delivers his lines with relish. I like Barbara Crampton, but she feels wasted here. She is mostly just a damsel in distress, but she reacts in some strange ways throughout the movie, even getting dressed up in bondage gear during one strange scene.

I have never read the short story that the film is based on, so how faithful it is I couldn’t really say. But as it’s Stuart Gordon and he directed another Lovecraft tale in ‘Re-Animator’ , you know it’s a pretty safe bet for some gratuitous violence and an overall tongue in cheek tone. I really enjoy this movie, however it’s not for the squeamish, so if guts and gore aren’t your bag then steer clear. For the rest of you gorehounds, dig in and enjoy.

Todd 3465 (Kurt Russell) is the best of a group of genetically engineered soldiers, bred to kill from a very early age. He is a decorated war hero, with hundreds of kills to his name. Now…he is obsolete. A new group have soldiers have been created by the villainous Colonel Mekum (Jason Isaacs). The soldiers are led by Caine 607 (Jason Scott Lee) who is the best soldier. He is faster, stronger and meaner than Todd 3465 or any of his team. Colonel Mekum orders Todd’s superior, Church (Gary Busey), to dispose of Todd and his crew. They are all slaughtered and dumped on a planet which basically used as one big dump.

However Todd does not die. He finds that the planet he is on is inhabited by friendly people just trying to survive. At first they are weary of Todd, but slowly begin to accept him. He stays with Mace (Sean Pertwee) and Sandra (Connie Nielsen) and begins to bond with their son. Colonel Mekum decides to test his new batch of soldiers on the planet where Todd was dumped. However he never banked on Todd being alive. Now Todd will show these new killers what a real soldier is.

I really dig this film. However it got absolutely panned on release and I don’t know why. To me it’s like a futuristic version of Shane. I remember also reading that Kurt Russell had offered his fee back to Paul WS Anderson has he felt bad that the film didn’t do well. I think people expected it to be balls out action and that’s not what it is. It’s more restrained than that, showing an inhuman killer like Todd what it means to really feel and to have something worth fighting for.

Don’t listen to the hate. Give it a watch and be prepared for a subtle story with bursts of violence. The final 3rd is one of my favourite bits in any movie. Todd is just a bad ass and to watch him teach these upstarts what it’s like to be a real soldier really is a sight to behold. Well worth a watch in my book.

Dear oh dear. Before I start let me say I dig the first two movies. I actually like Chronicles of Riddick more than Pitch Black, probably one of the few that does. I was jazzed when David Twohy and Vin Diesel announced they were bringing Riddick back. They did mention that they were returning to the bare bones type story of the first, rather than the grand spectacle of the second. However I wasn’t expecting an almost carbon copy of Pitch Black, which is what we have here.

The story begins with Riddick stranded and alone on a desolate planet. Riddick is severely wounded and nearly every creature he comes across wants to kill him. Riddick then explains how he found himself in this unfortunate position and what he has been up to since the last movie. When Riddick realises that it’s time for him to leave the planet, he activates a beacon which alerts two groups of mercenaries to his position. The first group that lands are lead by Santana (Jordi Molla). The second group are a bit more high tech and they’re lead by Boss Johns (Matt Nable), father of William Johns (Cole Hauser) from Pitch Black.

Riddick begins to despatch the men one by one, but stops when he realises they may all need to band together for the threat that’s coming. Now if I have made that sound exciting, believe me when I say it isn’t. The supporting cast who include Dave Bautista and Katee Sackhoff are wooden at best. The remainder of the supporting cast are throwaway and completely forgettable. Vin Diesel has some truly awful lines, pissing away any ounce of menace the character of Riddick had left. However Matt Nable who plays Boss Johns was surprisingly good, really giving the part his all. The CGI is terrible, and the action is truly mundane.

There is a very brief cameo by Karl Urban as Vaako from Chronicles of Riddick, giving you a small taste of what used to be. Although to be fair, even Karl Urban looks bored. The plot and pretty much all of the perilous situations the characters find themselves in are far too similar to Pitch Black. This could have been something special. Instead we get a movie with terrible CGI backdrops and the majority filmed on what are clearly soundstages. Awful. This copy of Riddick was provided by the kind folks from Fetch Publicity. You can find their site at http://www.fetch.fm and also follow them on twitter @fetchpublicity for some great competitions and tweet alongs.